Electrode holder



oct. 29, y1946-.

H. A. JACKSON ELEGTRODE HOLDER Filed Feb. 4, 1944 Hana/Admfd/J v lNvENToR i ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 29, 1946 UNITED l STATES PATENT o Fries ELECTRODE HOLDER lionel A. Jackson, Detroit, Mich. Application February 4, 1944, Serial No. 521,005

Claims. l

This invention relates to an electrode holder and moreiparticularly to an electrode holder for arc welding.

This invention` contemplates an electrode holder for arc kWelding which is streamlined and compact to facilitate welding in close quarters.

It is an object of this invention to produce an insulated electrode holder rhaving long lived insulation. Thisobject is achieved by providing the insulation with a protecting metal cover which is insulated from the body and-other current conducting parts of the holder.

It is also an object of this invention toproduce -a holder having a simple, economical and elcient lock for locking the electrode in the holder.

jIn the drawing: i

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through my electrode holder showing the parts in released position.

Fig. '2 is a fragmentary 'longitudinal section along theline 2-201e Fig. 6 through my holder showing the electrode locked in the holder.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5. are sections along the lines3-3, 44 and 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of my electrode holder.

From the drawing it will be observed-that the holder is shaped like a torpedo. The holder com- -prises the lfollowing parts: a head I, an 'insulating cover 2 Vfor the head, plunger 3 mounted in'bore 4 in the head, a metal protecting shield 5 for the insulating cover 2, `an insulating handle 6 mounted on a metal adapter 1 which has a threaded fit with the head as at 8,

-a cable 9 secured in the end o'f the adapter 1 and in electrically conducting relation Vtherewith `by the set screws I0. The electrode is designated I I. The head I, plunger 3, adapter 1 .and cable 9 can be made Afrom any of the well-known metals or alloys having 4high electrical conductivity, such as copper, aluminum, and their alloys. y Head l is streamlinedandshaped like the head of a torpedo. The insulating cover `2 completely surrounds head II and can be .made from electrical and heat insulating materials preferably having low heat conducting properties, capable of withstanding high temperatures and also having high strength. The insulating cover should be capable of withstanding high impact because the electrode holder is frequently dropped by the operator and in many cases may even be used as .a hammer or subjected to other abuses wherein the insulation is subjected to high impact. Insul-ating cover 2 can be made from high temperature thermosetting plastics, such as Bakelite. Preferably canvas an electrode locking `2 reenforcement is molded within `the Bakelite cover.

Insulating cover 2 is provided with a metal shield or sheath 5 which surrounds the insulating cover at the head end ofthe holder. Shield 5 is preferably made of thin sheet brass or aluminum and serves to protect insulation f2 lagainst the heat radiated from the arc during Welding and also serves to protectlthe insulation against damage in case the head ofthe holderi is struck or strikes against another object such as might occur when the holder is--dropped Insulating cover 2 is preferably molded in themetal no se or shield 5 and has a skirt portion 40 overlapping handle 6 and which serves as a hand-gripfor turning the head I to lock Vthe electrode in the head or release the same therefrom. The nose portion and hand-grip portion ofthe insulating cover 2 preferably are molded `as one integral piece or unit. Shield Y5 isl circumferentially knurled as at 4I and insulation 2 is molded over the knurled portion as at 42 so as to lock vthe insulatingcover to the shield 5. l

The metal sheath 5 is provided With an opening vI2 :surrounding an opening I3 in insulating cover 2 .through which thexelectrode isadapted tobe passed into socket I4 of head I. The insulationrZ is preferablymolded in cover 5 and fills the .opening I2 flush with the outside surface of sheath 5. Insulating cover 2 and sheath 5 are retained on head Iby a locking pinl I5 which passes through openings provided in head I, insulation 2 and sheath 5. Pin I5 is arranged to be driven out of the rhead and insulation membersl topermit removal of the insulating `cover 2 from the head l. Pin I5 is preferably made from canvas reenforced molded plastic such as Bakelite.

Handle 6 is preferably tubular .and retained on the adapter 'l by means of a vtapered pin 6 driven into opening .I1 in adapter'l and into openings I8 in handle 6. lTapered pin I6 prevents handle 6 from slipping on adapter T and since it is made from insulating material such as molded Bakelite or Bakelite reenforced with canvasror .asbestos fibre,` pin -vI6 prevents arcing. Pin IB can be removed by driving the same out of openings I1 and I8.V

IAdapter1 'l is provided with a bore I9 threaded as at 8 and is arranged to have a screw fit on the threadedfend of head l. This screw fit ofthe handle adapter 'l o-n head I is utilized for moving plunger 3 into locking engagement with the electrode I I and also for releasing the same. Plunger 3 is provided with a ball bearing 20 at each end. Each ball bearing is retained in its socket 2I by peening over the surrounding edge of the socket as at 22. The ball bearing 20 is free to rotate in its socket 2| and thus presents a diilerent surface for contact or locking engagement with the electrode I I each time the electrode is replaced. This distributes the wear fairly uniformly over the surface of locking bearing 2|. When one ball bearing shows appreciable wear the plunger 3 is removed from the head and turned end for end, thus presenting the other ball bearing for locking er1- gagement with the electrode.

The plunger 3 has a reduced portion 23 intermediate its ends. A locking pin 24 has a friction fit in opposed openings in the head I and passes through the recess or clearance provided between the ends of the plunger by the reduced central portion 23. Thus plunger 3 is free to move longitudinally in bore 25 of head I but cannot fall out when head I s disconnected from the handle 6, 1.

When it is desired to replace plunger 3, handle 6, 1 is screwed off the end of head I, pin 24 is driven out or removed from the head, and this permits plunger 3 to drop out of the head. If for any reason the plunger should stick in the head, a small rod can be passed through opening 26 in the head end of the holder and the plunger driven out. Insulation 2 and the metal cover 5 can be removed from the head by rst removing the locking pin I5 which permits the insulation and metal cover to be slid off the head.

In operation the end of the electrode I I is slid into socket I4 and handle 6 is turned from the position shown in Fig. l whereupon the bottom 21 of bore I9 in adapter 1 engages the right hand ball 20 to move the plungel forward toward the electrode. This brings left hand ball 2!! into a tight locking engagement with the end of the electrode. The current is principally carried to the electrode from the cable 9 through adapter 1 and head I, although a minor flow of current will pass through plunger 3.

It should be noted that the head end of the electrode holder has an outline in longitudinal section which is substantially a parabola. Making the head end of the holder a parabola in longitudinal section gives the holder a compactness so that it is capable of working in much closer quarters than other types of holders now on the market.

The pitch of threads 8 is such that a quarter turn of handle 6, 1 is all that is necessary to lock the plunger against, or release it from, the weld rod II. This facilitates loading and unloading of the holder. To remove handle 6 from adapter 1, pin I6 is rst driven out of openings I1, I8 whereupon the handle can be slid oil adapter 1. The use of pin 24 is optional and the same can be omitted if desired.

Head I is preferably provided with a plurality of longitudinal grooves 50 which provide air spaces between head I and the insulating cover 2 to aid in cooling head I.

I claim:

1. An electrode holder comprising in combination an electrically conducting head having a socket therein adapted to receive the end of an electrode, said head having a longitudinal bore communicating with said socket, a plunger slidable in said bore, ball bearings joumaled in the opposite ends of said plunger whereby said ball bearings and plunger are removable as aunit from said head, and means co-acting with said head and the ball bearing in one end of said plunger whereby the ball bearing in the opposite end of the plunger is forced into locking engagement with an electrode in said socket.

2. An electrode holder comprising in combination an electrically conducting head having a socket therein adapted to receive the end of an electrode, said head having a longitudinal bore communicating with said socket, a plunger slidable in said bore, ball bearings journaled in the opposite ends of said plunger whereby said ball bearings and plunger are removable as a unit from said head, a handle independent of said plunger having a screw fit on the end of said head and contacting one of said ball bearings for foreing the other ball bearing into locking interengagement with an electrode in said socket.

3. An electrode holder comprising in combination an electrically conducting head, an insulating cover surrounding said head, said head having a socket adapted to receive the end of an electrode, said insulating cover having an opening adjacent said socket through which the end of the electrode is passed into said socket, cooperating openings in said head and insulation, and a pin of insulating material passing through said openings for locking the insulating cover on said head.

4. An electrode holder comprising in combination an electrically conducting head, an insulating cover surrounding said head, said head having a socket adapted to receive the end of an electrode, said insulating cover having an opening adjacent said socket through which the end of the electrode is passed into said socket, and a metal cover surrounding said insulating cover and insulated from said head, said metal cover also having an opening adjacent the aforementioned opening in the insulating cover for said electrode, said metal cover serving to reilect heat radiating from the Welding arc and to protect the insulating cover against damage, and cooperating openings in said head and insulating cover, and a pin of insulating material in said openings for locking the said head, insulating cover and metal cover together as a unit.

5. An electrode holder comprising in combination an electrically conducting head, an electrically conducting adapter having a threaded connection with said head, an insulating handle covering said adapter, an insulating cover surrounding said head and having a skirt portion which overlaps one end of the insulating handle, said i head having a socket adapted to receive an end of an electrode, said insulating cover having an opening adjacent said socket through which the end of the electrode is passed into said socket, and means of electrically non-conducting material for locking said insulating cover to said head, and a 'plunger mounted in said head having one end arranged to contact said adapter and the other end to project into said socket whereby relative rotation between the hand-grip portion of said insulating cover and the handle effects longitudinal movement of said plunger and projects the said other end of the plunger into said socket to lock an electrode therein.

HONEL A. JACKSON. 

